By Matt Le CrenWhen Benet edged host Wheaton Academy 1-0 on a Nicole Burns goal last year, it was just a regular season game between two historically strong programs.

When the two teams meet again Monday in Lisle, there will be a little more meaning to it.

Last year, Wheaton Academy won the Class A state title, and Benet reached a Class 3A regional final. This year, each could be getting a look at a playoff opponent. Both schools are in Class 2A this year.

“I think that’s going to be one of the points (as) we (hope to) continue our winning streak,” Benet midfielder Katie Gesior said. “We just came off the three games that we lost, so we need to keep up the momentum and hopefully that will continue and transition into the state playoffs.”

The Redwings (9-5-0) had hit a rare rough patch, losing three-straight games for the first time in at least a decade. Even assistant coach Henry Wind, who founded the program in 1991, couldn’t remember the last such skid.

But Benet bounced back to hand rival Saint Viator its first East Suburban Catholic Conference loss of the season as Betsy Keefe scored in a 1-0 victory Wednesday.

The Redwings followed that up by knocking off Waubonsie Valley 2-1 on Thursday in a Naperville Invitational consolation game. The final game of that tournament against Sandburg on Saturday was cancelled because of inclement weather.

Benet and Wheaton Academy could meet in the state semifinals. Wheaton Academy appears to have a clear path to that round, but Benet will have to run a gauntlet to get through the Nazareth Sectional, which also includes 2016 state semifinalist St. Francis, Hinsdale South and the host Roadrunners, who beat the Redwings 3-1 in overtime April 4.

So Monday’s game will be a good tune-up for the Redwings in case they do meet the Warriors again.

“We can see how we match up to them,” Gesior said. “Then the second time around when it really counts, we can adjust how we play or move people around to see how we can play them best.”

Keefe, who has 11 goals and 6 assists, and Gesior, who tallied her 10th goal of the season against Waubonsie Valley, lead the way for the Redwings, who have struggled with their finishing lately. That is more of a concern for Benet coach Gerard Oconer than wins or losses.

“Really right now it’s all preparation for the state tournament,” Oconer said. “We have to get better every day.”

The Warriors (12-3-0) are doing just that. They have won seven-straight games since back-to-back 1-0 losses to Class 3A opponents Huntley and Glenbard West.

Wheaton Academy is coming off a 3-1 win over Wheaton North on Friday which gave the Warriors the Wheaton Invitational championship. Erin Teevans, Maggie Liecthy and Gretchen Pearson scored for the Warriors, who overcame a 1-0 deficit.